That’s right! It is not a tall tale, it’s reality. Last week, the state of Maryland made a groundbreaking reproductive movement when Governor Larry Hogan signed a bill that would expand insurance coverage of all forms of contraception insured to residents of the state. That includes birth control pills, Plan B, and vasectomies!

How awesome is that for women living in the state of Maryland! The bill, known as the Contraceptive Equity Act, requires insurance plans and Medicaid to cover the entire cost of most birth control pills as well as emergency contraception which can cost upward of $50 out of pocket. The act also allows women to receive birth control six months at a time and lifts pre-authorization requirements for long-acting reversible contraceptives and IUDs. The bill will not go into effect until 2018.

Maryland now joins 27 other states, including New York and Washington that require health insurance companies to cover the cost of prescription contraceptives both drugs and devices. Elizabeth Nash, Senior State Issues Associate at the Guttmacher Institute, praised the groundbreaking movement in Maryland: “This is a great step forward and this bill really doubles down in ensuring women have access that works best for them.”

She also adds that “this bill is one of the first of its kind in the country to strip away barriers to contraceptive access in a significant way for the 62 percent of women currently using birth control.” This is a huge movement for women across the state of Maryland and be plenty more to come in the next few years.